


(We're all just a) Work in Progress

by takeyouraim



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Pezberry Friendship, brittany is kind of an ass in this so you've been warned, dani/quinn friendship, fapezberry roommates, quinntana friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:34:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeyouraim/pseuds/takeyouraim
Summary: Long-time friends Rachel and Santana, and their newer friend and roommate Quinn become great friends with their building's apartment manager and resident player, Dani Harper. Quinn is the daughter of an ultra-conservative politician, resulting in Quinn being incredibly closeted. Santana and Dani have decided to help fix this problem... by any means necessary.Or, Dani decides to hit on Quinn and Rachel relentlessly to get them to realize they like each other. Shenanigans cause her and Santana to fall for each other.TW for homophobia, from Quinn's dad and Dani's past, previous unhealthy relationships (brittana), and I may add some other things if necessary.
Relationships: Dani/Santana Lopez, Quinn Fabray/Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Comments: 30
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just an intro, another chapter will be up soon. More of their backstories will come up, but just for clarity's sake - Rachel and Santana are best friends for most of their lives, went to high school together and college. Santana and Brittany met and dated in college -- more of their story will come up later. Santana and Rachel met Quinn after college. Quinn is Russell's little pet, for the most part. Their relationship is complicated. There is no Beth in this universe.

“How is it that, even in a push-up bra, you have no boobs?”

Quinn reread the line in her book, desperately trying to ignore her roommates. Santana’s hand was actually down the front of Rachel’s low cut shirt, trying to adjust… something.

“God, take off your shirt again.”

“Santana, it itches.”

“Do you want to be told your boobs are too small for a part again?”

Over the top edge of her book, Quinn saw Rachel tug the shirt off over her head again. Bits of Kleenex and fabric were sticking out of the edges of Rachel’s bra. She reread the line again, still trying in vain to ignore them. She should be used to these kinds of antics, after two years. What Quinn doesn’t expect, is to see the door open slowly. No one else had a key to their place. Except…

“Uh, hey,” Dani said, looking from Quinn on her favorite recliner, to the two women rummaging around in bra cups to find something. Santana came out with a sock that had embroidery, and Rachel sighed in relief. 

Dani was the apartment manager. Quinn suddenly remembered, she had approached Quinn the day before about wanting to check on the work two of the maintenance guys were assigned to do and the girls in this apartment had complained about it. Quinn had expected everyone to be gone, and told Dani to just let herself in. She was somewhere around their age, different colored hair every time Quinn saw her (electric blue today), and typically at least 50% of her outfit was (fake) leather. She also had a bad habit of hitting on every woman Quinn had ever seen her talk to.

“Sorry, Dani. I guess we’re actually here,” Quinn said. She gestured towards the kitchen. “The drywall the guys were supposed to repair is in the kitchen. And by supposed to, I mean they scraped some shit and left,” Quinn informed the apartment manager. 

Dani, however, was not paying attention to Quinn. She was obviously checking out a still shirtless Rachel, and Santana. It was like she couldn’t decide who to stare at. “Need some help?” she asked with a smirk.

“Oh, please do not encourage them,” Quinn sighed. “It’s like living with guys…” she grumbled. 

Santana turned to Dani, a small smirk pulling at her lips. Rachel wasn’t even paying attention, now restuffing the bra to try and fill out her new push up bra. Dani noted that there was still a tag at the back, but she’d save that information. “You do realize we’re keeping the bra on, right?” Santana asked, and she received a matching smirk from Dani.

“You can have plenty of fun keeping the bra on.”

Quinn groaned, then coughed loudly from behind her book. Dani turned to her with a wider grin.

“What’s the matter… Quinn, right? Hate being a third wheel? I have to admit, I’d hate rooming with people sleeping together but… if you need some company, I’m right down the hall,” she said smoothly. 

Quinn could feel the blood rushing to her face, but she couldn’t pinpoint if it was anger or embarrassment. Annoyance seemed like the safest bet. She merely glanced from over her book. “Oh please. Try harder. Please,” she deadpanned.

Dani grinned. “I like a girl who begs.”

There was the softest growl from the blonde, who stared back at her book. How many times would she read this stupid line?

Santana had apparently instructed Rachel to put a shirt on again, because Rachel’s dark red shirt was back on and the swell of her breasts more on display. “Something is still wrong. Go look in the mirror,” Santana instructed her. She then turned to Dani. “And we’re not sleeping together. Don’t get me wrong, I like a woman who takes her turn being in control but… there’s that and there’s someone telling you to fold her granny panties after you take them off her.”

“I heard that!” was screeched from the bathroom. “Did you try and give me a third nipple?!” 

Santana, evidently, was waiting for this response, as she snickered and flashed Dani a mischievous grin. 

“You’re not sleeping together. Huh. So you and grumpy over here?” she asked, nodding to Quinn. 

Santana’s grin just widened. “Enjoying the mental image, Harper? Hate to burst that bubble for you, but none of us are sleeping together.”

“How did I end up in some gay brothel?” Quinn whispered to the pages of her book.

Dani grinned even wider. “You somehow stumbled into my dreams. So… how do you guys know each other?”

Rachel had come back into the room, still clearly trying to fix the conspicuous extra bump in her bra. Santana reached over and again, stuck her hand directly into Rachel’s bra to fix it for her. Quinn snapped her book shut.

“These two idiots have known each other since like grade school. How either of them survived is beyond me. They went to college together, which is when they got a little too comfortable with each other -” she gestured, where Santana was now cupping both breasts to judge for symmetry. “- Two very long years ago I was desperate for an apartment. I wisely didn’t inform them who my father was. When they found out, they started to make out in front of me to get me to leave,” she said, rolling her eyes. “And we’re all stuck together.”

“How do you know it was to make you leave?” Dani asked over the other two laughing.

“Because Rachel pulled away from Santana and said ‘this is because of your father’ and went back to sucking face.”

Dani barked a laugh before Santana could interject. “It was either that or I run a parade of women in front of you while Rachel rants at you about her dads’ marriage being true and real and your father trying to ruin that,” Santana shrugged. 

Quinn sighed deeply. “Yes, but then you proceeded to make out in front of me even after realizing I didn’t give a shit.”

“Santana’s a good kisser,” Rachel shrugged, as though that was all the explanation necessary. To Dani, it was.

“That, and when I get drunk I have a really bad habit of picking girls who think I’ll be totally cool with their boyfriends joining it just as it’s getting good. And Rachel… well… Berry dates people like Brody.” Both Quinn and Rachel made a face at this name. Dani raised her eyebrows.

“Is that the dude who’s clothes were thrown all over the stairs about a year ago?”

“I think it was a very responsible decision.” Rachel’s voice was suddenly rather proper, and she was clearly ignoring Dani’s question. “We do what we need, we don’t go home with random people, and neither of us makes a choice that could potentially derail our futures.”

“Expect you discovering that you like chicks,” Santana added. She was examining her nails, but Quinn could see that her eyes were actually on Dani’s leather pants.

“Like I said. Responsible decision,” Rachel said with finality.

Dani looks between the three women and grinned again. “Well, I submit my name to this lovely lesbian colony you guys have going on.”

“I’m not a lesbian,” Rachel said. “I am bisexual, and yes it matters - thank you very much.”

“I’m straight,” Quinn said, giving Dani and Santana alternate glares. They both had a look on their face that clearly said ‘yeah, sure.’

Life was definitely about to get very interesting for all four of them


	2. Chapter 2

It would be strange, the way Dani slipped into being part of their group, if the way Quinn had become friends with Rachel and Santana were different. But when the initiation to a friend group is constant harassment, a few drunken nights, and one nice deed… Dani’s is rather normal. It seemed to Quinn and Rachel that Dani was starting to make excuses to come by the apartment when they were all home. Three months after the bra stuffing incident and three straight weeks of Dani saying there was some sort of leak in the apartment below them and coming by to check the pipes, then forgetting to actually check the pipes once engaging in a conversation, Quinn found herself banging on the apartment door three down from the trio’s. 

“Well well… I knew you’d come to me eventually. What are they doing, hooking up on a pride flag?” Dani asked, leaning against the door frame with a wide grin. Her eyes dropped down Quinn’s body. “Or have they asked you to join and you need some pointers? I’m better at showing than telling.”

“Gross. Shut up,” Quinn muttered, flushing yet again. As usual, this made Dani laugh.

“So cute when you blush, Fabray. I’m happy to give you something to blush about.”

Quinn was ready to just walk away when Santana’s voice sounded from downstairs. “Will you guys hurry up? Berry flashed a cab driver so we actually got one!”

“Did not, Santana!”

“Are we going somewhere?” Dani asked Quinn, her eyebrows raising. Sure, they had hung out in the apartment once in awhile… when Dani would randomly drop by. But going out with the trio was certainly a change.

“Some club Rachel heard about? I don’t know. Santana and I are about to start classes again so… blowing off steam? Trying to meet someone? I don’t know, but you’re coming. And don’t tell me you have to get ready. Just put on that stupid jacket and for once don’t argue with me.”

Dani’s grin stayed firmly in place, despite feeling a sigh of relief over actually making some friends finally. “God I love bossy women. Do you tie people up too? I once slept with a girl who made me keep this jacket on while she tied me up.” Still, she grabbed her jacket and locked the door, not giving Quinn a chance to ditch her. “Like… nothing but the jacket.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and Quinn grimaced.

In the cab, Rachel predictably claimed motion sickness and took the front seat, leaving the three others to squeeze into the back. Dani happily volunteered for the middle. “Between two gorgeous women. Right where I belong.” 

“That seems like a lot of work,” Santana said once they were settled. Dani’s hands was on both of their thighs, and Quinn violently removed it, shoving it back into Dani’s lap. Santana didn’t protest. “Like, you don’t need an extra chick. It’s not like they need to reset. I get wanting an extra dude but…”

Dani looked at Santana with her eyebrows raised. “More boobs?” she asked with a shrug, causing Santana to grin.

“Oh, you had me going for a second. You’ve never done that. Nice try, though.”

“I bet none of your stories are true,” Quinn said, eyeing Dani. She had been trying to get her a bit of humility for two months now, with no success. She was just like Quinn’s high school boyfriend. “I bet you’re totally innocent and can’t talk to women who you actually have a chance with.”

“Well I can talk to you, can’t I, Ivy League?” Dani nearly purred. Quinn’s face turned red once again and she tried to shove Dani away in the small back seat, pushing her a mere inch into Santana. The three other women in the car started to laugh, whilst the cab driver swerved around the New York streets.

“Exactly,” Quinn grumbled. “No chance with me. But you rarely talk to Santana this way.”

Dani shrugged. “She’s less fun than you,” she murmured, but squeezed Santana’s thigh all the same.

* * *

The bar was nothing like Dani had been expecting. Instead pounding house music, dancing that was more like soft porn, and watered down drinks, she found herself walking into a low-key jazz club. There was a stage where musicians were setting up, and piped in music of old classics. From Dani’s point of view, Rachel seemed to float to the bar. Four drinks, each one the intended recipient’s preference, appeared on the bar within minutes. Hanging out with three classically hot women seemed to have many benefits, Dani was starting to realize. Including getting bartenders’ attention instantly. With her whiskey in hand, and Santana gripping something of a color Dani was trying very hard not to judge, they walked behind Rachel and Quinn towards a round booth just far enough from the stage and speakers that they could hear each other.

Their shoulders bumped as they walked, both openly laughing. Dani knew she made a habit of pushing Quinn’s button’s, but there was a rather obvious softness Quinn had around Rachel that she didn’t have with either her or Santana. 

Quinn bumped Rachel’s shoulder, not realizing it was the third time she had done so in the last five minutes. “So you said that audition went well. Have you heard anything?” Even Quinn’s voice was a little softer when she spoke directly to Rachel. 

Rachel let out a small sigh. She stirred her very pink drink with the paper straw she despised. “I thought it went well, yes. But yet again, no callback. A friend of mine who’s on the production staff said I’m in the ‘ensemble’ pile currently. I just…” Rachel looked up at the performers still setting up. “I’m more than a background person!” she huffed. “I did exactly what I’m supposed to. I went to a top performing arts college. I’ve been working my butt off since childhood. I’ve taken all the lessons, studied with the top professors, and I’ve done so many ensemble roles. But ensemble roles don’t get your name up in lights.”

Quinn was actually still listening to her. Intently. A soothing hand squeezed Rachel’s wrist. “You haven’t been putting time in for as long as some of your counterparts. You’re already performing in the main Broadway houses. The Broadway landscape is just… a little different now,” Quinn reasoned. “Keep working, your time will come. Like you said, you’ve done everything right. Just give it time,” Quinn said gently. 

Dani, biting her lip, turned to Santana. “Didn’t you go to the same program as her?” Her voice was slightly clipped, but the noise in the bar was starting to grow and none of the others seemed to notice.

“Uh… yeah,” Santana said, but shrugged. “Rach is cool with not knowing where the next job is coming from until you’ve got it. That wasn’t for me. That, and apparently I came off as a bitch in auditions.” She took a sip of her drink. “Once I was out of college and not getting cast, I realized I didn’t really want that life. That’s when I started looking at law school,” she shrugged. Her eyes were on the stage, where a woman was bent over setting up some equipment.

Dani’s eyes followed Santana’s, realizing she wasn’t paying much attention to the group. She grinned. “You gonna talk to her, or am I?” 

Santana nearly jumped, not expecting to be called out like that. She laughed to cover it up. “Super straight. She’s dating the bartender,” she informed Dani. “But by all means, go get shot down. I could use some entertainment.”

Dani just leaned back and sighed. “Straight girls are no fun if they have a boyfriend,” she shrugged, to Santana’s general laughter.

“Why is it that you can accept some random girl in a bar is straight, but not me?” Quinn asked, pulling herself out of her conversation with Rachel just to challenge Dani. She knew instantly by the grin Dani set her way, that asking was a bad idea. “You know what, never mind. I’ll just let you have this one,” she sighed. 

Rachel giggled softly, causing a warmth to spread through Quinn. Dani might drive her insane, and Rachel and Santana may get their jollies by pushing every one of her buttons, but she actually loved this little group. She wouldn’t change it; on that, she was certain.

Quinn never had true friends. She hadn’t joined the sorority she had originally rushed during her Freshman year at Yale. While the women all seemed like good people, she had noticed how close all of the older members were. They talked about families, boyfriends, classes, and worries for the future. They would speculate on politics together - some pointedly where Quinn could hear. In short, these women knew every bit of each other’s lives. They were each other’s confidants, study partners, and best friends - some of them call each other ‘family.’ While some of the other Freshman rushing the sorority loved this idea, it made Quinn’s skin crawl. She didn’t open up to people in that way. She wouldn’t discuss her family dynamic with a group of girls who were clearly interested in exactly what the Senator’s life looked like. Russell had a very clear reputation and in a place like Yale, it was difficult to guess how people viewed that reputation. She also wouldn’t draw attention to the fact that she didn’t discuss it.

College was therefore spent in the dorms with a roommate, then off campus with a different roommate. They’d talk, joke, and occasionally study together if they shared a class, but it was never any deeper of a friendship. Quinn attended a private Christian high school, and it was much the same. Her father had been recently elected to the Senate when she began her Freshman year, and the race wasn’t a pretty one. While most of the students and staff at the school supported Russell’s brand of politics, they also treated Quinn as a form of royalty simply for being his daughter. Between that and being head cheerleader her Junior and Senior years, she never had much time for friends.

So yes, Quinn was very grateful she answered the Craigslist ad looking for a roommate two years ago. She trusted Santana and Rachel… and Dani, if she had to. She didn’t know what she’d do without them, and deep down feared what would happen should any of them decide to go their own way - like if anyone actually dated.

“Hello ladies.” A voice interrupted Quinn’s internal musings, and she shot a glare at one of the two guys who decided they were worthy enough to approach a table of four women. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Dani casually toss her arm over the back of their booth, then around Santana’s shoulder. Santana seemed to lean in, causing the two guys to focus their attention on Quinn and Rachel. 

One of the men was a little more put together than the other. He, at least, had jeans without holes and wore a polo shirt. His dark hair was messed out of a more groomed style with his own fingers and he looked as though he had shaved that morning. He probably worked a sales job. His charming smile was directed towards Rachel who, much to Quinn’s dismay, was returning it. The other man was a little more scruffy. He wore a wrinkled blue flannel shirt open over a t-shirt that boasted “Blackbell College Alumni” and baggier jeans. With the way he dressed, Quinn would have placed him still in college, late for a lecture. His messy blonde hair and slightly patchy facial hair didn’t help. His attention was directed towards Quinn. And while he was cute… he was not Quinn’s type. Her dates were usually her dad’s friend’s sons - having the same background as her. 

“Can I buy you a drink?” Sales-guy asked Rachel. Rachel gave him a flirty smile that made Quinn’s stomach churn unpleasantly. She was sure something was off about this guy, or at least Rachel could do better. But despite Quinn’s convictions on that matter, Rachel was nodding and slipped out of the booth as she introduced herself. Quinn watched until Rachel and the guy were at the bar, completely forgetting about Scruffy. It wasn’t until he cleared his throat that Quinn’s attention snapped back to him. He raised a hand towards the bar and gave a smile that probably made girls swoon every other time. “Why don’t we go join them?” he asked. There was a tone in his voice - one that sounded to Quinn that he took her acceptance for granted.

Quinn raised one eyebrow at her. Santana shifted in her seat, as though waiting for a show to start. “Because I have better conversationalists right here,” Quinn responded, and turned her head to engage in conversation with Santana and Dani again.

“Well how will you know that if you don’t let me get you a drink and talk for a bit?” he asked, his voice still smooth and… cocky.

Quinn’s head snapped back toward him. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Let’s just say I have a minimum education requirement.” Her voice had a bite to it, and Santana had to clear her throat to keep a laugh in. 

“What?” he asked, the cockiness finally gone from his voice only to be replaced with a tone that matched the dumbfounded look on his face.

Quinn gave him an obvious once over, her eyes stopping on his shirt for a moment. “Look, I get that it was probably a miracle you got into any school, but do you really need to brag you went to a school no one’s ever heard of? I know enough about you already. Why don’t you go back to your bros while you still have a little dignity,” she said, nodding towards the group of guys who kept looking over towards them. 

Scruffy simply shook his head and turned around, muttering ‘bitch’ as he went.

Quinn hadn’t noticed how stiff Dani got, however Dani still had her arm around Santana, so Santana did. “Dude what’s wrong? Spot an ex?” Santana asked, craning her neck. 

“No… no I’m fine,” Dani said, then finished her glass of whiskey rather quickly. 

Santana, with her eyebrows raised, just asked “you sure?”

Staring at the last drops in her glass, Dani visibly fought with herself. Finally, she put the glass down and looked up to Quinn. “I just…” she broke off and let out a long breath. “It must be super nice to have daddy's money and decent mental health enough to get into a good college. I guess it was totally my fault I got tossed out on my ass at 16. Suppose I should have still gone to college, huh? Tell me, do you think Yale would have taken a musician with a solid C GPA before getting her GED? Or NYU? God, I can’t imagine that audition.” She had to take a breath after laughing dryly. But then she put on a mock-serious, low voice. “‘Tell me, what kind of experience do you have? Ever performed professionally?’” Her voice went back to normal. “Well does playing in the bus stations on the way here to my cousin’s count?”

Quinn had turned completely pale, her face straight. She wouldn’t make eye contact with Dani, despite Dani talking directly at her. “If I had a chance to go to Blackball College or wherever that dude went, I would have jumped on it. And it would have been a god-damn miracle. Not everyone is blessed with a family with money, or a forgiving family. Or an unbelievable ability to take standardized tests,” she gestured at Santana, having heard stories about that skill about a month ago. “Or a million dollar voice,” she added, nodding vaguely towards the bar where Rachel was. “So just... check yourself, Ivy League. And for the record, that’s not a term of endearment.” Dani took two breaths and looked between the two women at the table before grabbing her glass. “I’m getting another drink,” she mumbled, the fight suddenly out of her. With that, she walked away from them.

Her walk to the bar felt a little detached. She was upset with herself, sure, but she was also still incredibly disappointed. She had, in the back of her mind, been expecting this. Dani worked a blue collar job - one she wasn’t fond of. This job was the only reason she could afford to live in the same building as those three. On her salary, she’d likely be in a little studio in Brooklyn or Queens with three roommates. Instead, she lived in a one bedroom apartment in Chelsea in a decently maintained building since she worked for the company. Education has always been a sore spot for Dani, but it had been growing lately. They talked about school like it was a guarantee for people, and only those completely inept didn’t go to college. Dani had struggled to get her GED, but she didn’t have much of a choice. After her parents kicked her out, she slowly made her way to New York where she had a couple cousins who let her couch surf at their places until they could get something figured out. She certainly didn’t go back to high school. Even before she was kicked out, she wasn’t happy, she was constantly terrified her parents would learn her secret, and could never focus in school. She thought that maybe if she had a chance now, she might do better, but she also had no interest in the types of jobs that would justify furthering her education. But now, she felt less than. Less than these women she had felt connected to otherwise. And the one thing that was certain to get Dani to lose her temper was someone talking down to her. That was exactly how that felt.

Quinn and Santana stayed seated, staring towards the spot that Dani had vacated. “That was…” Quinn started, but Santana interrupted.

“Totally warranted.” She gave Quinn a look and shrugged. 

Quinn stared at her for a moment, then nodded. She was silent for another moment. “Did you know that? About her parents and leaving home?”

Santana shook her head. “She’s less forthcoming with personal information than you, Q. I kinda doubt she would’ve told us without alcohol, or just calling you out.”

Quinn nodded and looked towards the bar. “Get her back here, would you? Get some shots for us,” she said, then slid some bills out of her pocket, to Santana.

Dani leaned against the bar and ordered a beer and a shot, just to give herself a little time away from the table while she decided what she wanted to do. She could just head home. Snapping at Quinn that way was probably not the best way to tell Quinn she was acting like an entitled, spoiled brat. It also probably guaranteed she wouldn’t be invited out again. She downed her shot and chased it with a large swallow of beer.

Santana slipped in next to Dani when the bartender was there and ordered three tequila shots and two drinks - Dani assumed it was whatever her and Quinn were drinking. Then, Santana gave her the same playful grin that Dani always got. “I have never seen anything but sex jokes make Quinn speechless. Props,” she said, nodding. 

Dani scoffed and just rolled her eyes, a bit of annoyance still running through her veins. The shots landed on the bar before the drinks. “Come on. Help me carry these,” Santana said, starting to try and balance too many glasses. Dani didn’t move, she just stared at Santana for a few minutes. Santana sighed and put the glasses back down. “D, we deserved that. And if anyone can admit that, it’s me and Q. We chew enough people out to know when to take it. Now come do a shot with us, and we can see how many dudes chicken out on talking to Q for the rest of the night, aight?” She grabbed one drink and two shots, leaving Dani’s beer, another glass, and one shot glass still there. Dani watched Santana for another moment before grabbing them dutifully and carrying them back to the table.

The three of them took their shots before saying anything. Dani knew she needed to slow down at this point, but having a little more alcohol wash away the awkwardness seemed like the best idea now. She could feel Quinn’s eyes on her, so she pointedly watched the musicians tuning on stage. The show had to be starting soon, right? 

“Was that true? About leaving home at 16?” Quinn asked after a few moments. Her voice had no fight in it. It was almost… caring, if Dani didn’t know better.

Santana was cut off from telling Quinn to drop it by Dani. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t call it leaving. Not like I had a choice,” she said, then sighed. “My dad is a pastor, my mom hasn’t worked since they got married. They had some Church event to go to, so I brought my girlfriend home. My parents forgot something and came home. It was… rather obvious what was going on. They gave me enough time to pack a bag. And I knew I wasn’t going to stay in Texas, so I went to the bus station and got a ticket to New York.”

Quinn stared into her empty shot glass. “That sucks,” was all she said.

Rachel came back then, slipping her phone into her back pocket. She stared at the table, then between the three of them. “Shots? Already? Is… everything okay?” 

Santana laughed. “Oh yeah, we’re good. Dani here said you have a million dollar voice,” Santana said with a laugh. “And basically called me a genius. So yeah, we’re good,” she said. Dani never thought she’d see the day where Santana was the one trying to make things better, but she grinned at her all the same when Santana nudged her.

“She also called me an elitist, but I deserved it,” Quinn said and raised her glass towards Dani. She moved over, making room for Rachel.

Dani, wanting the conversation over, looked at Rachel. “I didn’t think you’d join us again, Rach. What happened?”

Rachel pursed her lips at Dani. “Not everyone is like you, Dani Harper. I got his number and we’ll be going on a date next week, thank you very much,” she said cheerfully.

* * *

The rest of the night went smoothly. The end of the night came when Rachel got a little too drunk. Dani had seen it before - Rachel had a very weak tolerance when it came to alcohol, and when she got too drunk she got… clingy. It was never as obvious in the apartment, because either Santana or Quinn would just sit next to her and eventually put her to bed. In the booth with the jazz quartet playing romantic tunes, Rachel had sidled up to Quinn, forcing the blonde’s arm around her. They didn’t stop touching until they were leaving the bar. 

The cool air must have sobered Rachel slightly, because suddenly she was very energetic. “Let’s walk home! It’s so pretty out!” she told them, trying to push past the patrons waiting for a cab. 

Quinn followed her, much to both Santana and Dani’s surprise. It wasn’t a warm night for late August. There was a slight chill to the air, and Quinn was in a tank top. They made it a block before Quinn had her arms wrapped tightly around her torso. Dani slipped her jacket off without thinking and draped it over Quinn’s shoulders. Quinn smiled gratefully at her before her face twisted. The jacket was off her shoulders and on the ground while Quinn nearly shouted “No! Gross kinky dirty sex jacket.” She grimaced and jogged to catch up to Rachel. Her arms slid around the small brunette while Santana and Dani were nearly doubled over in laughter.

“If she thinks just being tied up is kinky…” Santana started, but couldn’t finish due to another laughing fit.

Dani just shook her head, but watched Quinn and Rachel up ahead. “They make a cute couple, huh?” she asked Santana, nodding ahead towards them.

Santana pulled a face. “D, Quinn is never going to let herself see it. We’ve been living together for two years, and they’ve been like this for one of them. It’s just not going to happen.”

Dani pursed her lips, then grinned at Santana. “I mean… we could try and push her in that direction. Do you think she’s the jealous type?”

Santana laughed. “What? You wanna get a girlfriend and see if it pushed her buttons?”

Dani just shook her head. “If I were her type, we would have made progress. But… I could turn my attention to Rachel.”

Santana stared at her for a moment, then her smirk slowly took over her face. “That… That just might work, Harper,” she murmured. “Now give me your kinky sex jacket. I’m cold.”

With Dani’s jacket on, Santana wrapped her arm around Dani’s waist and followed the other pair back to their building, while snickering over their plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Appreciate folks reading and commenting. Also happy to answer questions about my head canon for the world.
> 
> Also this is completely un-betaed, unless you count me telling someone to read it and stroke my ego beta-ing. So... sorry


	3. Quinn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is entirely Quinn-centric because these are fascinating characters. I'll have at least one chapter for each of the four like this throughout the fic. If you were hoping for more plot, that'll be coming shortly. I thought this was important to get out before the pining.
> 
> And, sorry it's been a while. I try to update frequently but... school.

There are three things that Quinn Fabray has accepted.

**Number One** : Quinn is used to being used. In fact, Quinn has grown so accustomed to this, she doesn’t even see it as being used anymore. 

It started when Russell had first thought about running for elected office. He hadn’t told Quinn and her sister yet - Quinn never asked if he told Judy. But they started to attend more ‘functions’ - as her mother called them. Quinn was dressed more often in soft colored dresses and dragged along. She was introduced to other kids her age quickly before Russell would walk off with a group of men, head into a dark study somewhere, and close the door. Quinn would have strict instructions to play whatever game the other kids wanted to, she wasn’t allowed to bring a book (or talk too much about them), and had to be on her best behavior. If the kid asked for Quinn to come over and play again, Quinn was taken to the bookstore to pick out something new as a reward.

Once Russell had started his campaign, Quinn was brought out as the “perfect daughter” for most public appearances. She led prayers at fundraising dinners, walked two steps behind him, and frequently said how blessed she was to be his daughter. All of this was, of course, scripted for her by Russell’s campaign manager.

Quinn never questioned it, either. This was, she thought, what was done for family. It made her parents happy and kept her from getting any kind of negative attention (they saved that for each other). 

Immediately after his election, Quinn was transferred to the best private Catholic high school within driving distance of the Fabray manor. The school used her, then. They loved to boast that Senator Russell Fabray thought their school was good enough for his youngest daughter. Quinn frequently “won” contests to speak at various school activities, despite her barely preparing. These contests were usually for activities where large prospective donors would be present. Some people were tasked with making friends with her, in the same way that she had been when she was younger. She typically got whatever she wanted at school, be it a new club to be formed, a change in schedule, or the head cheerleader position. The school used the Fabray name to become as relevant as possible. And Quinn, once again, allowed it. After all, that school had gotten her into Yale. 

Yale was one of the first things she had done for herself. Russell had protested, wanting Quinn to go to a different school. A more conservative school with stronger ties to the church. Quinn going to a school in a liberal area wouldn’t help him at all. Quinn had stuck to it, though. She wanted this school, and she had pointed out to Russell that it was such a respected school, some of his colleagues in the Senate had attended and there would be no question that some of their children might as well. Quinn could, potentially, help him even from there.

It didn’t take long for Russell and Judy to start setting Quinn up on dates with eligible men at Yale. It happened that most of these men were sons of politicians, lobbyists, and businessmen that Russell either had a great relationship with, or was trying to develop. She would date one for a few weeks, maybe - if they weren’t complete assholes - they’d get closer to two months. But Quinn would, for whatever reason, push them away and await the next set up. Russell made no effort in hiding his disappointment that Quinn didn’t seem interested in a long term relationship with some of them. There were several that Judy had deemed ‘suitable to marry’. 

Once graduating Yale, without a marriage prospect, Quinn only had a few choices. Move back in with her family, become heavily involved with a church, or continue her schooling. There was one choice that was obvious for her. Despite Russell’s convictions that Quinn wouldn’t need to use a law degree, as she would marry and become a homemaker (the only dignified position for a woman of her social standing, according to him) he agreed. And Columbia was only an acceptable option because Russell would be having appointments in New York and he, for some reason, thought he could win New York as an extremely conservative republican. Still, Quinn was expected to show up to campaign events, date only acceptable men, and be a crowning glory for the Fabray family.

**Number Two:** Quinn does not want to be a lawyer.

Law school was a means to an end for Quinn. That end being not moving home, and having some semblance of freedom. She always knew she was beyond smart enough for the challenge, and she always loved puzzles and solving problems. This was the best route for her that would keep her out of her parents’ home, and out of the home of a husband.

Getting her internship was a bit of a fluke. She didn’t actually need it - her father wouldn’t push for her to move home for the summers when they were usually at their summer home anyway. She could have just relaxed in New York for the summer, hanging out with her roommates, and enjoying a sense of freedom she never thought possible for her. When her professor introduced her to a colleague, she was polite and engaging and soon was encouraged to apply for a summer position at their firm. 

She knew she couldn’t say no, that she had no intention of practicing law. Or that many of the partners at the firm are known Democratic donors, and it’d likely look bad for everyone involved to have a Fabray working there. They didn’t care. So, she applied. She got the position. After two weeks there, what she had always known was solidified. She did not want to be a lawyer. She did not want to work 80+ hour weeks making rich men richer. She did not want to be sleeping in the office, as some of the associates did when trying to wrap a big case. She didn’t like the mentality here. It was… toxic. She found a delicate way to ask that of a partner who had taken a liking to her. Holly read through the delicate phrasing and laughed. 

“Honestly, Fabray. This isn’t for everyone. You have to love it, or it’ll eat you alive. And you don’t have to like who you’re working for. You can despise these men. But you have to love the work. The day to day, the grit. And you don’t. So, if you want, finish school. You can do anything - or nothing, if I understand it correctly. But now you know. You don’t love it. Now pour yourself a whiskey and tell me what you do enjoy.”

Holly was right. She hated it. Her neck hurt after a few hours of pouring over documents, and her vision would blur by lunch out of boredom. She loved studying law - it was interesting and engaging and open to interpretation. But practicing? This was dull. And she counted down the minutes until she could get home to her books - but she never had the energy to read after working. When she told Holly that, she got anouther laugh.

“So do that. Read or write. Do nerdy English major shit. I don’t know. Don’t you realize how lucky you are? You’re rich. I know how rich. You don’t need to work to support what you love. So just do it.”

Quinn sighed, then shrugged. “It’s not that easy.” 

Holly had one more comment before paying for both of them. “Good. Maybe you’ll actually fight for it then.”

That conversation was simultaneously easy to brush off and impossible to forget. Holly didn’t understand what was expected of her. And  _ she _ wasn’t wealthy, her father was. Her father kept putting off Quinn getting her trust fund until she was married.  _ Like a dowry _ , Quinn would scoff to herself every time she was notified that the age limit changed. Sure, she could bury herself in books if she wanted to. If she finally married a man of her father’s choosing ( _ What century is it? _ ). 

For now, Quinn would go to school. She had another school year until she needed to make choices about a job or giving in to Russell. She had another year to decide how to live the rest of her life.

**Number Three:** If she hadn’t met Santana and Rachel, Quinn likely would have given up and married someone by now.

Really, if she hadn’t met Santana and Rachel, she would give in to everything her father wants. She’s put her foot down, subtly, in a few ways. She doesn’t go to any Protect Marriage rallies anymore, and he has stopped asking her to publicly speak out against gay families. He hasn’t changed his platform, and if Quinn ever openly supported she’d be in a lot of trouble, but she doesn’t have to attend. She also hasn’t been asked to attend the March for Life this year, after Quinn had pushed her father one evening over the issues surrounding abortion, instead of just abortion itself. When she had asked about financial assistance for expecting mothers and young mothers, he ended the conversation by leaving the room, muttering something about ‘socialist brainwashing.’

Her strength to do these things came from her two roommates, as they were never shy in pushing her when it came to her support of her father’s political ambitions. It has made family gatherings just slightly easier to endure. While her father rattles off nonsense, she can make a decision - do I call him out on it, or just go home and vent to Santana and Rachel? It depends on the day and her energy level, but now… she has the choice. 

It’s also exactly this newly developed backbone that has kept potential suitors away after the first meeting. Instead of it lasting for a month or two before Quinn got annoyed enough to snap, it typically took the first day. He would inevitably say something about how women shouldn’t work, or a backhanded comment about a woman serving public office, or something much worse, and Quinn would scoff before verbally lashing him. The awkward silence would extend much longer than a few acceptable moments, and Quinn could go home. Home to her roommates, this little family she’s grown so fond of. 

Her family, consisting of a gay woman of color, a bi woman with two dads, and her. And for some reason still unknown to Quinn, they accept her. They see her as family too. If she ever expressed her gratitude to Santana, she’d get uncomfortable and likely insult her. It’s okay, though, Quinn knows Santana knows. Rachel, though. Rachel would get mushy and hug her and get emotional. And for a reason Quinn did not even allow herself to consider - she could not handle Rachel emotional due to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Quinn kept looking up from the same page of her textbook every two minutes. Her eyes would dart between the clock on the wall, then to the door, and back to the same page of the textbook. Dani watched this with interest over her aimless plucking at her guitar. 

“You look like you’re waiting for something,” she said after twenty minutes of this pattern.

Santana looked up from her own textbook, then looked between the two women. Quinn’s gaze snapped to Dani. “What are you talking about?” she asked. Dani had known her long enough at this point to know that the edge in her voice was because Dani was right.

“You keep staring at the clock, then the door. Are you expecting someone?” Dani asked, a small smirk pulling at her lips.

“No, I’m just distracted. You try studying this, you’d be easily distracted too. And for the love of everything holy, will you play something real or put that damn thing down? It’s distracting.”

Dani, without missing a beat, starts plucking a riff that would very easily get stuck in Quinn’s head.

“Don’t you have your own apartment?” Quinn asked, annoyed.

“You guys are prettier than my walls,” Dani said, shrugging. “Speaking of pretty things, where’s Rach?” she asked, watching Quinn with pure enjoyment.

Annoyance flashed in Quinn’s hazel eyes, then a flash of jealousy, then disgust. “She’s out on a date with that dude who talked to her at the bar. She’s been gone for a while. I might call her, make sure she’s okay.”

“Wow, cockblock much?” Dani asked, smiling in delight at the daggers Quinn glared at her.

“Maybe she needs an escape,” Quinn reasoned.

“Maybe you just want to make sure your girlfriend isn’t sleeping around,” Dani challenged, earning a slight guffaw from Santana.

Quinn put her book aside. “For the last fucking time, Harper. I’m not into Rachel. But that dude had sleeze written all over him. He never hangs out here, so he clearly wants her alone, and... well he rubbed me the wrong way.”

Dani watched her for just a moment, then glanced to Santana. “You’re really not into her?” she asked.

“My God. Is that finally getting through your head?” Quinn asked in amazement.

“I just… I ask because… I mean, Rachel’s gorgeous. Talented. Smart. She’s kinda my type. I don’t want to get in the middle of something here and cause a ton of roommate drama. It’d be my responsibility to get this thing leased again if you moved out.” She shrugged. “If you’re sure there’s nothing there… I might want to throw my super gay hat in the ring,” she said. Santana suddenly buried herself in her notes again.

Quinn stared at her in disbelief. “You… you’re into Rachel.”

Dani smiled, and it actually looked genuine. “How could I not be? I know you’ve seen her. And… even for a ‘straight’ girl, you’re not blind. Even if it isn’t your thing.”

Santana and Quinn had a very clear momentarily silent conversation. Quinn’s eyes widened and she looked to Santana in shock, and Santana had to stifle a laugh.

“What?” Dani asked, looking between the two of them. “What did I say?”

Quinn through her pencil at Santana. “So much for it staying between us, traitor.”

Santana failed at hiding the laugh now. “Q, I never said a thing.”

“You heard her. ‘Isn’t my thing.’ That word choice is so not a coincidence.”

Dani just sat up straighter and straighter as this unfolded. Santana was nearly falling over laughing, shaking her head. “I never said anything,” she grinned. “But now we have to. Go ahead, Fabray. Tell Dani all about our little scandal.”

Dani’s eyes widened in sheer delight. She knew what was going to come out of Quinn’s mouth before it came, and it was everything she could do to not just giggle.

“A few years ago, at an event for school… Santana and I got… a little… drunk and… intimate. It wasn’t for me,” she said and shrugged.

Santana, now that Quinn had said it, filled in some of the blanks. “We had two glasses of wine on an empty stomach, got tipsy, and Quinn dragged me to her room. We both had plenty of fun, she said she understood why girls experiment, but said it wasn’t her thing.”

Dani bit her lip. This little piece of information changed things. But then… “How many times was it not her thing?” The question was directed at Santana, but her eyes were on Quinn. The blonde blushed.

“Like four, I think,” Santana said, also grinning at Quinn. Quinn blushed even darker and closed her eyes.

Dani actually let out a little giggle. “It was more than four, wasn’t it, Quinn?” Quinn grumbled something in reply. “I’m sorry, we didn’t catch that,” Dani said. She was able to keep herself together for the most part, but this had been a gem she was not expecting to find.

“Five,” Quinn said a little more clearly. She sighed and snapped her book shut, picked up her things, and went to her room. “Call me when you two grow up!” she said before slamming her door shut.

Dani and Santana basically fell into each other on the couch, both laughing too hard and not caring that Quinn could still hear them.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dani gasped through laughter.

“I promised her ages ago that I wouldn’t. I figured you’d put it together eventually,” Santana said once she started to compose herself enough to speak.

“God. Five rounds? It took her five times to decide it wasn’t for her?” Dani asked in a whisper.

Santana smirked with pride. “Nah. Took her five times to pass out.”

Through their laughter, they moved on the couch. They were each a little closer to each other now as they went back to what they were doing, each still laughing. Dani’s legs ended up on Santana’s lap, and Santana rested her book against them. But their gazes flicked to each other more often, always missing the looks from the other.

* * *

“I’m really not sure how much help I can be, Rachel,” Quinn sighed, despite the fact that Rachel tugged on her arm through the store toward a rack of dresses. “I’ve never auditioned for anything. Isn’t this more of Santana’s wheelhouse?”

“Santana’s philosophy is to put as much boob on display as possible. But this is a much more classy role and you are a more classy person.” 

Even Quinn couldn’t argue with Rachel’s logic. The last time Rachel left the apartment for an audition that Santana dressed her for, she left in a trench coat so she could make it to the audition without being stopped too many times.

“No, not that,” Quinn said, taking the low cut red shirt out of Rachel’s hands and back on the shelf. “If it belongs in Santana’s closet, it’s not right.”

Rachel giggled, then nodded. “You need to take her shopping before she starts interviewing for internships. Or just… burn half her closet,” she suggested.

Quinn let out a laugh, then steered Rachel toward the “Business Casual” racks. “You and I both know she’ll kill me if I try and purge her closet. You better do it,” Quinn bartered. She started pulling things off of the racks and tossing them into Rachel’s cart. Everything about her body language, speed of movements, and the clothing she was picking out had an air of ‘let’s get this job done.’ Quinn’s brain, however, had somehow jumped into overdrive. Rachel would look gorgeous in this skirt, with that blue blazer. Did she own glasses? Her hands were exceptionally soft every time they touched Quinn. Which… did they touch each other too often?

“Sorry, what?” Quinn asked, turning to Rachel. The brunette had been talking. For more than a moment.

Rachel smiled at her. “Just… thanks for doing this. I know you’ve got so much going on, but I didn’t know who else to ask.”

Quinn looked over the clothing in order to hide her blush. “Of course I’m helping. I want you to land this role. I can’t wait to see you in it,” she said honestly. “You couldn’t ask that boy? What’s his name… Sales Guy.”

Rachel corrected her, but Quinn forgot it instantly. “He’s not really… a great conversationalist,” Rachel said, a slightly suggestive glint in her eye. “Plus, way to scare a guy off, right? Come shopping with me?” Rachel laughed and tossed something Quinn would not have into the cart. When she wasn’t looking, Quinn put it back.

Quinn let out an uncertain laugh. “Honestly, I wouldn’t know. Most of my dates are planned by my father, or his people. I really don’t date all that often. You’ve probably noticed.”

“You’re busy. You’re so focused with your work. You’ll do so well, Quinn. Best lawyer in New York,” Rachel declared with so much finality, Quinn somehow felt a soaring and a sinking feeling at the same time. Soaring, because Rachel seemed to think so highly of her. Sinking, because not even the two people she was closest to in the world knew that she neither wanted to be, nor would likely ever become a lawyer.

“Dani would have come with you.” Quinn couldn’t help herself. She wanted to know what Rachel thought of her.

“Dani would have taken me to a leather store,” Rachel quipped.

“Go try this stuff on. I’ll keep looking.” Quinn said, just to change topic.

“What? No, you have to come with me,” Rachel said. She was staring at Quinn in confusion, her eyebrow raising in a ‘duh’ sort of fashion.

“Oh. Um… Okay,” Quinn said stiffly. They entered the hall with the dressing rooms, and before Quinn could even make a move to sit down on the benches outside, Rachel was shoving her into the largest room. The door was locked and Rachel pulled her shirt off in the same movement.

They lived together. They walked to and from the shower, they accidently walked in on each other, and Santana and Rachel were close enough that Quinn had seen nearly everything. But.. this was different. This was always Santana’s role, not Quinn’s. She looked away, seemingly interested in an out-of-date flier in the frame on the door. Rachel had Quinn give her opinion on every outfit. Had Quinn known she was expected to be in the room while Rachel changed, she wouldn’t have put so much in the cart.

“Ah, shoot. Can you help?” Rachel asked while Quinn reread the same spelling error on the flier. Quinn looked over at her, to see Rachel’s torso - and skimpy bra-covered breasts - with her face and arms trapped in the last blouse that was clearly too small. Quinn’s laugh was finally genuine.

“I told you an x-small wouldn’t fit,” Quinn said as she gingerly tried to free Rachel’s earring.

“It’s on sale!” Rachel said, her voice muffled by the shirt pressing into her mouth.

Once free, Rachel pulled another shirt on and turned her back to Quinn. “Can you help?” she asked, gesturing to the zipper and clasp.

Quinn’s hands were shaking as she pulled the zipper up. She tried so hard not to graze Rachel’s skin, but she couldn’t help it. It was soft, perfect. She swallowed hard as she did the clasp, having to touch even more of Rachel’s skin. Rachel turned around as though it didn’t affect her at all. 

“Well?” she asked. She pulled a blazer on over it and looked in the mirror.

Quinn’s mouth was dry. She took a moment to scrutinize Rachel’s appearance. Finally, she swallowed - twice - then cleared her throat. “Can you move around?” she asked. Rachel demonstrated her range of motion. “I uh… I think this is the one.” 

Rachel, of course, looked gorgeous. Quinn almost told her so, but this was about Rachel landing a job. Not looking like Quinn’s dreams. Rachel beamed at her, and Quinn had a moment’s thought.

_ I’d do anything to get that smile again. _

“Fantastic!” Rachel said - or squealed. Then, as though she was trying to completely blow up everything Quinn ever thought about herself, she kissed Quinn’s cheek. “Can you get this stuff on the return rack? I’ll be right out.”

Quinn scrambled to grab everything and leave. She needed a moment. And she needed to stop her blushing, and stop her heart from racing. This was all Santana and Dani’s fault. Their teasing about Rachel put ideas in her head, that was it. She was just… lonely.

Rachel opened the door to the changing room, her selection over her arm and usual clothes back on. She smiled at Quinn again, saying something about going or finding dinner or.. Quinn had no idea. She could only think one thing.

_ She’s gorgeous just like this. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit I managed to post again. This quarantine thing is getting to me.
> 
> Things are going to pick up now. I've got the rest of the story planned out. Let me know what you think of it!


	5. Chapter 5

Santana looked up when the door to the apartment opened, seeing Dani let herself in with two cups of coffee from the corner coffee shop. Santana smiled. “For me?” she asked, and Dani made a guilty face. When the others weren’t around, her and Santana had their own rituals. Santana’s class schedule was a little different from Quinn’s, affording the two of them several mornings together. Over the course of a week, they’d end up having breakfast together at least twice. It had become such an easy routine to fall into. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Dani would show up at the door just as Quinn was leaving. Sometimes Santana would already be awake, and they’d head to a corner diner and sit for hours. Dani would work on maintenance schedules for the apartment building while Santana mumbled things regarding appellate and trial advocacy. If Santana wasn’t awake yet, Dani made coffee at their apartment, and the smell usually tempted Santana out of bed. However, seeing as this was a Saturday morning, everyone was home. And the needling at Quinn had to continue.

“Actually uh…” she turned to Rachel. “I know you had a late rehearsal last night,” she said and offered one of the cups. Santana’s confused and hopeful gaze suddenly dropped to the notes she had been reading over. She had to distract herself from the charade that, as amusing as it was, was starting to annoy her.

Rachel blushed softly and shook her head, but accepted the cup. “Thank you, Dani,” she murmured and sipped the drink. “How… how do you know my coffee order?” Santana had ducked her head down to her textbook in order to hide a knowing smile. It had been a couple months since Dani announced her ‘interest’ in Rachel to Quinn, and Quinn clearly had not forgotten. She was glaring at Dani, unnoticed by Rachel.

“Good guess,” Dani said simply, and Santana cleared her throat to cover a laugh. She rubbed the back of her neck in an awkward, un-Dani-like way. “So listen…” Quinn’s knuckles went white, but then Dani addressed the room, and then Santana. “I volunteer with an organization that helps kids get access to music education,” she started, and Rachel’s gaze went incredibly soft. The mug of tea Quinn was holding actually shook. “And we’ve got this fundraiser thing coming up at a bar. Volunteers perform, get people to show up, and the bar is donating twenty percent of sales to the organization,” she explained. “It’s next Saturday. Will you guys come?”

“What do you do for the organization?” Rachel asked, her attention a little too rapt for Quinn’s taste.

And, though none of the three could believe it, Dani blushed. “I uh… I teach some lessons,” she admitted, looking down at her calloused hands. “Guitar. Just a couple of kids a week, until we can get them placed with a professional.”

“You teach kids how to play guitar?” Rachel asked, as though she had seen a small kitten in a bowtie. 

“Uh… only when there’s no one else,” Dani said, clearly searching for her bravado. “But look, it’d be cool if you guys came. I’m performing a couple songs, so are other volunteers, and then there’s an open mic thing for donations at the end, so you guys could totally perform too if you want. All the musicians who volunteer with the organization are there for backup,” she shrugged.

Santana spoke before Rachel could, unable to stop herself. “Of course we’ll be there. Right, Q?” Santana asked, giving her a pointed look. Quinn loosened her grip on the mug and nodded shortly. “What are you going to perform?” Santana asked, grinning slightly.

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?” Dani flirted back before she could catch herself.

* * *

Santana, Quinn, and Rachel filed into the bar Dani told them to be at and fought their way over to a vacant table. “It’s packed!” Rachel yelled excitedly over the crowd. “Maybe I should sing at the end! Who knows who’s in the room!” 

Neither Quinn nor Santana responded -- Quinn because it was too loud to hear, and Santana because she had spotted Dani and was waving her over. “Good turn out,” Santana said with a smile as Dani slid into an empty chair next to Santana. Quinn had taken the one by Rachel when Dani was approaching.

“Right?” Dani asked excitedly. A server came around and got drink orders, and everyone - including Dani - was wearing the same t-shirt. Dani, of course, had her leather jacket over hers. How she wasn’t sweating profusely, none of them knew. “I’m second up. There should be about an hour’s worth of people performing, then we’ll do a short break, then open mic. There’s a list of stuff most of us know that will be passed out,” she explained, then took a drink from the beer that appeared before her.

“I hope you guys don’t mind, but the guy I’m seeing is probably going to stop by,” Rachel said to the group. Dani didn’t react at first, but then raised her eyebrows.

“You’re still seeing Sales Guy?” She asked stiffly after a moment. She glanced at Quinn, who seemed equally uncomfortable by this news.

“No, actually… I met this guy at an audition. He’s an incredible dancer,” she murmured and took a sip of her drink. It was clear that she was trying to cover a blush.

Dani and Quinn both forced smiles. “Well of course it’s fine,” Dani said after a purposefully awkward pause. “The more the merrier.” Quinn took a rather large gulp from her drink, and didn’t say anything.

They chatted for a while, and Dani laid it on thick with Rachel. With every poorly veiled flirtation, Rachel laughed and blushed slightly, but didn’t otherwise react much. Quinn grew grumpier and grumpier, and obviously sighed in relief when Dani slipped away from the table to head towards the stage. She even missed how Santana watched her walk away, or that Rachel didn’t. Rachel, instead, nudged Quinn’s shoulder and smiled at her.

Quinn relaxed after that, for a little while.

Dani reached the microphone and gave that dazzling smile that had Santana smiling back. “Hey y’all, I’m Dani Harper,” she said, and volunteers and her table of friends cheered. She laughed, which had Santana laughing. “Anyway, I’ve been volunteering for… shit… four years now,” she said. “It’s a great organization. I know a lot of people here know just how important music is, especially for kids trying to figure out how to express themselves. A portion of the proceeds of all sales go to helping kids get access to lessons and instruments, and if you want to donate, just talk to any of the people wearing these silly t-shirts.” It was the spiel everyone was giving when they came up to the microphone, but Dani’s energy seemed to vibrate through the room. At least, it did for Santana.

“So, here we go!” she said with a bright smile. A few other volunteers were on the stage with her, picking up various instruments. The last person performed solo, but apparently Dani had more planned.

She dove into her set, starting with Confident. She had her usual guitar with her, and was clearly having a ball. She sat down for Fix A Heart, but was on her feet again by the end of it. For Take Me To Church, she set her guitar aside.

Santana, Rachel, and Quinn all knew that Dani could play guitar and sing, but they didn’t know she could do  _ that _ . Her idle singing while they hung out was never to full volume, or full capabilities, it seemed. They were all shocked, but Santana had been frozen in her position with her glass partly raised beginning with the first lines of Confident, and she could only swallow hard, several times. She hadn’t noticed Dancer Boy join the table with a kiss to Rachel’s cheek, or Quinn’s sulking. By the time Dani introduced the next person and reminded people to buy another round or donate and even returned to the table, Santana was still staring. She had managed to finish taking a sip, though.

“What’d you think?!” Dani asked. She was breathing a little hard. She could perform every day for a year, and it would still make her heart race. Her cheeks were flushed and she reached for the beer she left at the table. She took a drink and slipped into her chair as everyone praised her. 

Santana rested her hand on Dani’s arm. “Seriously, that was amazing,” she said with a wide grin. “Take Me To Church? That… really works well with your voice.”

“Definitely!” Rachel chirped. 

Dani looked over at Rachel finally, only having eyes for Santana for far too long. Dani smiled warmly at Rachel, then looked to the boy with an appraising eye. “You must be Dancer Boy,” she said, a little coolly. He gave her his name, but she didn’t let it register. He was just… Dancer Boy. “You know, we’re basically Rachel’s family…” she said, but Rachel kicked her under the table. Dani then winked at her, and Quinn waved down the waitress to order another round of drinks.

The night passed with them enjoying more performances. After over an hour of behavior ranging from a cold shoulder to outright hostility toward Dancer Boy, he kissed Rachel on the cheek and left, only with one glare at the rest of the women at the table. Rachel huffed over it. “You could, at the very least, call him his name,” she pointed out, but Quinn had already warmed up since his departure, causing Rachel’s stern voice to have a slight chuckle to it.

Santana raised her eyebrows. “We could, true. But as you know, your random boys only get names when they can hang out with us for longer than three hours.”

Rachel laughed with Dani and Quinn, and shook her head. “That rule applied in college to ensure they weren’t stupid and only wanted sex. But now that I’m older, I’m really okay with them only wanting sex,” Rachel said, during an unfortunately lull in volume in the bar. Several heads turned towards their table. Quinn groaned and rolled her eyes, Santana and Dani each winked at the same woman, and Rachel just giggled.

As the performances ended, Rachel was instantly pursuing one of the song lists for people to do with the volunteers. She had sung twice, to tremendous applause, when Dani saw Santana eyeing the list again. “Pick something,” she said, nudging her. “Pick something I know and we’ll do it together.”

Santana shrugged. “It’s been a long time since I’ve sang, D,” Santana admitted. “When I decided to go to law school, I kinda walked away from all that,” she murmured as she took another drink. 

“Just because it’s not your main thing or your livelihood, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it,” Dani pointed out. 

Quinn smiled, having relaxed significantly. Whether it was the several drinks, the fact that Dancer Boy left, that Dani’s attention had been on Santana and not Rachel, or the sound of Rachel singing that did it… Dani and Santana each had their guesses. “She’s right, San. I’m in law school, but I still enjoy writing and reading, which is what I originally studied. And wanted to do with my life,” she shrugged. All three stared at her. “What?”

Rachel smiled and put her hand on Quinn’s arm. “You never told us you wanted to be a writer,” Quinn cleared her throat, then just shrugged. “No, don’t shrug!” Rachel turned completely to her, and Quinn Fabray actually blushed. “Why didn’t you do it?” Quinn stiffened slightly, and a slight vice seemed to settle over the group.

Quinn shifted now and pulled away from Rachel. “It’s no big deal,” she said stiffly. “Dreams change, right? What are you going to sing next?”

That quickly pulled Rachel’s focus away and she took the list back from Santana to find her next choice. With Rachel’s attention off of Quinn, Dani and Santana found it easy to slip back to focusing on each other. They moved closer to each other, especially as Dani showed Santana the organization’s website.

“Hey D?” Santana said after a moment. Dani just raised her eyebrows expectantly. “You know that song from the other day?” Dani instantly put their name on the list.

Dani and Santana sat on the stools on the stage, Dani with a guitar on her lap, as she began to strum out ‘Here Comes the Sun.’ It was a simple, soft song. A good way to wind down the night. Quinn kept watching Rachel, who was watching the two on the stage. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips as she watched them.

The room melted away as Santana met Dani’s eyes. The melody was simple enough, but as Santana’s gaze flicked from Dani’s deep brown eyes to the way her fingers slipped easily over the guitar strings, Santana’s heart swelled as though an aria was being sung to her. Dani’s familiar smile brought Santana even deeper, each of them falling into the music and each other the further the song went on. Only the applause and Rachel’s cheer brought them back.

* * *

The four of them walked home after a fun night, all of them rather tipsy. “Dani!!” Rachel squealed. “This was so fun. That’s such a good organization!! I signed up to volunteer,” she called into the night. Quinn laughed and looped her arm through Rachel’s. They both leaned into each other as they walked together. When Rachel sang  _ She Used to Be Mine _ , Santana was sure Quinn had teared up.

“She’s right,” Santana said and nudged Dani. “It was a damn fun night. And God, can you sing. Your cover of Take Me To Church…” she sighed and shook her head wistfully. “I’m honestly surprised that you didn’t leave with the numbers of half the women in there.” 

Dani grinned at her. “Who said I didn’t?” she asked with a cocky smirk.

Santana laughed loudly at her. “Because I was with you like the whole night. Three women came to talk to you and you… basically shot them down,” Santana said. 

“I didn’t shoot them down, San.”

“You did! You made polite conversation, pulled your hand out of their touch whenever it happened, and included the group on your conversation every time. That’s shooting them down if I’ve ever seen a lesbian do it.”

Dani just rolled her eyes. “So I wasn’t into them. Big deal.”

“Just… don’t take this thing with Rachel so far you end up too deep, okay?” Santana said, her voice soft. They were at the steps to their building, so she put a hand on her arm to hold her back from going inside. “I mean… with the amount of dudes Rach is parading around, we don’t really need you hitting on Rachel too.”

Dani shrugged. “Quinn needs to see that it’s not just that she doesn’t like the guy. You know that’s what she’s telling herself. The guy sucks or she thinks he’s not good enough or she doesn’t want someone getting in the way of the four of us,” she whispered, and Santana just nodded. “But uh… you know… unless you’re jealous or something.”

Santana let out a laugh. “Jealous?” she asked, grinning at Dani. She leaned back against the metal railing, smiling at her. “Come on, D. I don’t do jealous.” It was a lie, and she knew it. 

Dani laughed and stepped up closer to her. “But you… really liked me singing, huh? Take Me To Church?” she grinned at Santana, and her hand rested on Santana’s hip, and she looked up at Santana. Just like when they were singing, everything melted away. Even the city itself became quiet. A kiss was nothing to either of them. A kiss could easily be exchanged in a bar bathroom if the circumstances were right. But this kiss… this was loaded. This was  _ meaningful _ . 

It was  _ Dani. _

It was  _ Santana. _

It had been months of poorly disguised flirting, plotting, and a friendship that developed exceptionally quickly. 

With Dani’s hand on Santana’s hip, Santana’s hand naturally curled around Dani’s jacket to pull her closer. 

_ “What the fuck are you doing here?” _

Rachel’s sharp voice carried out of an open window in the hallway. Dani and Santana jumped apart - like a siren or a car horn interrupted them - and Santana’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Rach doesn’t say ‘fuck’ lightly,” she mumbled, a little flushed by what almost happened. The city came back to life around them at a startling volume. Sirens in the distance that they could usually sleep through sounded like they were in their ears, people yelling and TVs from neighbors further drove distance between them.

“When is the last time she did?” she asked.

“Her birth mother showed up unannounced the day of department auditions freshman year,” she said. She ran a hand through her hair, then opened the door. Her posture changed into ‘protector mode’ as she finished the last of the steps.

Santana didn’t expect to see two sleek blonde heads when she turned the corner, or tiny little Rachel trying to create a block in the hallway between Santana and her ex-girlfriend.

“Britt?” Santana breathed out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dani’s set list is:  
> Confident ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8QwGmiNaIQ )  
> Fix a Heart ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2oDQG6BLNQ )  
> Take Me To Church ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysv84KEZXWw )  
> I should say, I am well aware that all of them have some serious issues, and what Santana and Dani are doing to Quinn is immature at best and it’s not okay to mess with your friends like that. This is why I chose that title. They’re all not quite the people they could be, but they’re getting there.  
> Also, more will come with Rachel. I’m really not used to writing inside her mind so that means she’ll end up a little more of a side character for a while. I realize this could probably be two separate stories, one about Dantana and one about Faberry but… lives are intertwined and Dani and San being an ass together is fun, and their jackassery is what forces Quinn to grow.

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an intro, another chapter will be up soon. More of their backstories will come up, but just for clarity's sake - Rachel and Santana are best friends for most of their lives, went to high school together and college. Santana and Brittany met and dated in college -- more of their story will come up later. Santana and Rachel met Quinn after college. Quinn is Russell's little pet, for the most part. Their relationship is complicated. There is no Beth in this universe.


End file.
